Due to the abuse Sandy Morley suffers at the hands of his stepmother, he leaves his home in the mountains of North Carolina. After wandering for a number of days, he falls exhausted in front of the home of Markham, a rich factory owner from the North. Sandy appeals to Markham, who offers to send the boy through college. After Sandy's graduation, he is sent to his old home to start building a new factory. Lansing, Markham's scapegrace nephew, becomes jealous of the position Sandy holds and in revenge steals Sandy's sweetheart Cynthia Starr away from him. After their marriage, however, a girl with whom Lansing had an affair while at college confronts Cynthia. A divorce is then granted and Cynthia returns to marry Sandy.